Well I Said Maybe
by Koala35
Summary: Alex thinks her final year at high school will be the same as always - no friends and just being alone. But this year someone else, Jason Arthurs, begins to attend her school and begins to make senior year be the best year of her life. But Jason has secrets which Alex will soon unveil. Please review if you like :D
1. Chapter 1

Alex was prepared her school books and stationery in her room for her final year of high school. She didn't want to ruin her nerdy persona by admitting she was actually happy it was her final year. For the past decade and more of attending schools she just had to go through it alone. None of the other people in her grade understood her. They didn't care for the nerdy teacher's pet girl.

"Alex!" her mother yelled from downstairs "We have to go to school!"

Alex sighed and grabbed her bag full of books. She thought of her 'classmates' who probably weren't even bothering to bring any book to school on the first day. Alex walked down in the stairs and she didn't try and hide that she wasn't excited to be going back to school. She met her mother and her brother, Luke, downstairs.

"Why do you look so down?" her mother asked.

"Does it matter?" Alex said condescendingly.

"Well I think you should be excited for your first day of your final year." Alex's mother responded "You can make long-lasting friendships."

"The friendships she has made is with teachers." Luke casually added "and even then…."

"That's enough Luke!" Mrs. Dunphy warned .

"Let's stop discussing my feelings and get to the car." Alex said as she rushed out the door towards the car.

…

When Luke and Alex were dropped off at school Luke ran off with Manny and some of his other friends which left Alex by herself. Whilst waiting for the school bell to ring she sat down on a bench and began to read a book. A group of juniors with long perfect hair and faces painted with make-up sat on the bench next to her.

"I hear there are some new students who are not freshman this year." One of them said.

"Oh My God Stacey why should I care?" said the girl who seemed to be the leader of this group.

"Well you know Thorpe Arthurs?"

"The dreamy actor from those movies about the people?" the group leader said.

The group sighed in unison. Alex couldn't help laugh at the comment about _the movies about the people_ but when the group gave her a weird glance she pretended it was something she read.

"Well I hear his son is going to be joining the senior class this year."

"OMG I had no idea he had a son." The leader said "I thought he was young."

"He is 39." Stacey said "And he doesn't let his son do red carpets and stuff so the info on him on Google was limited."

"I bet he is cute." One of the others in the group said. The rest of the group agreed unanimously.

Alex rolled her eyes at this group just as the bell rang. She put her book in her bag and walked quickly to class. "Son of a movie star" she said to herself "Not someone who would care about me."

…

Alex sat in the front row like she always did. As the rest of the class walked in they sat from the back of the class first so the only empty seats left in the class were in the front row, next to Alex. Alex sighed but kept a straight face afterwards like she didn't care. The teacher walked into the class with a register in her hand.

"Okay class time to mark of the morning….." she started to say but then the school principal walked in with a student.

"Excuse me Ms. but we have a new a student in this class." He said "His name is Jason Arthurs and I would like you to make him feel welcome."

'This couldn't be him' was what Alex thought when she saw him. He was short, scrawny, clothing from last season and had slightly above average facial features. She imagined the son of a movie star would look a bit different. The only similarity to his father was his bright blonde hair – but not the brightness like it had been dyed.

Jason didn't smile at the class or wave or say hello. He just raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Thank you." The teacher said and the principal and he left. "Take a seat." She gestured towards one of the ones next to Alex. He sat down like it wasn't even odd to sit next to me.

…

Jason sat at a lunch table by himself at first because he knew nobody but for some reason random girls started to come up to him and attempt conversations.

"It must be sooooooo awesome to be the son of a movie star."

"It has certain perks." Jason responded.

"Is your father single?"

Jason raised his eyebrows and said "Are you serious right now?'

"Of course I am." She said. She put her hand on Jason's arm which made him flinch .

"Please don't touch me." Jason warned "And just so you now my father is married to my mother."

"Stacey!" a girl said approaching the table "please don't make a bad impression."

"Oh whatever Veronica I just want to get to know him."

"And my father apparently." Jason laughed.

"Well you look like…" Veronica began but then she looked at him and began again "Well your hair looks like his." Jason didn't respond.

"You are weird." Stacy then blurted out.

"That is not a nice thing to say!" Veronica told her. "I thought we were getting to know him!"

"Okay then." Jason said smartly "I really like to play Pokemon. You like that?"

"No."

"Books?"

"No."

"Science and technology."

"What? Aren't you an actor?"

"I never said I was an actor." Jason said "But I can act like I am not annoyed at this conversation right now." Jason smiled at this comment.

…

Alex walked into the cafeteria with the lunch she packed from home. She didn't trust the goo they made here. She looked around the cafeteria for options of seating. 'Table is full, table is full, table is full' she said in her mind as she looked until she said 'table is free.' But on this day she never said that and instead said 'girls hitting on actor kid with empty seats, table is full, table is full.' Alex saw no free tables and just had to sit with the new kid. Alex knew what would happen though – She would creep him out with her nerdy stories and they would never speak again- as if it already happened more than once it can surely happen again. She slowly walked towards the table and sat opposite to Jason.

"But I can act like I am not annoyed at this conversation right now." Alex saw him say to the girls. He smiled slightly.

"OMG you need to just tone down the attitude." One of the girls said "Or the fact that you are Thropey's son will just be forgotten and we won't hang with you."

"Who says I want to hang with you?" Jason said to her. Alex was shocked someone would say that to the popularity squad.

"The fact that he is Thorpey's son should make no difference to you 'hanging' with him." Alex then made herself present in the conversation, imitating the girls voices when she used the words they did. "Would you 'hang' with me if I were 'Thorpey's daughter?"

"These people are such craziness, let's just go before our minds melt." Veronica said and she and Stacy walked away.

"Is it crazy how she has no idea how to use English despite the education she has had for the past decade?" Alex said to herself

"I totally agree." Jason responded thinking she was talking to him "And thanks for getting them away."

"No problems." Alex smiled. Jason didn't smile back and wasn't even paying attention to Alex. Instead he was reading. Alex thought about how rude that was but then she realised that is what she did to everyone else.

"Maybe this won't be so bad." Alex said to herself.

"I'm trying to read!" Jason said from across the table. "I already have the accompanying noise of the other cafeteria tables to contend with."

Alex smiled and said in her head "Well I said maybe."

.


	2. Chapter 2

The school bell rang to signify the end of the first day of senior year. Alex left her classroom and went to her locker where she packed her bag to go home. She saw Jason walk past and open a locker two down from hers. After eating and talking a little with him in the cafeteria she wanted to interact more.

"Hey." Alex said to him.

"What?" Jason asked.

"I was just being polite." Alex answered "Trying to make your first day a bit better."

"I don't think I need to make my day better." He responded.

"Well I think you should appreciate me trying."

"Ok." He said "Make me appreciate it."

"Tell me about yourself."

"Do I have to?" he asked "There is an episode of The Bold and the Beautiful I taped to watch when I got home."

"I am going to ignore that you watch that show and insist that you tell me about yourself."

"I have an eidetic memory for one." Jason told Alex.

"I thought that eidetic memories weren't real." Alex stated.

"Well whoever told you that is fibbing."

"I read that in a book." Alex said to Jason.

"That book is wrong Alex Dunphy."

"Just call me Alex." She requested

"Okay Alex." He looked at a watch on his wrist and sighed "I need to leave." And he walked away.

…

"How was your first day back at school honey?" Mrs. Dunphy asked Alex in the car on the way home from school. Luke was also in the car.

"The teachers repeatedly talked about how important our final year was with college admissions." Alex told her. "So it was fairly typical school day."

"What about that boy?" Luke teased "You sat with him in the cafeteria."

"He is just the new student." Alex tried to say calmly "He'll probably run off with the popular table like the other new students I have sat with." But Alex knew that with Jason the possibility of that was lower than the others. Most of the others were people were obsessed with vanity and Jason didn't seem like that.

"I'm sure this time will be different." Claire said positively. "Who was this new student?"

"Jason Arthurs." Alex responded.

"He is the son of a movie star!" Luke said excitedly. "Thorpe Arthurs!"

"Thorpe Arthurs." Mrs. Dunphy said "Interesting."

"Jason is very interesting." Alex added.

"Interesting as in: he is your boyfriend." Luke teased again in the car

"We talked twice!" Alex said and she pushed Luke.

"Alex don't push your brother!" Claire warned.

"Maybe if he wasn't such a…" Alex began.

"Don't say anything Alex." Claire warned "Or you will be punished."

…

Alex didn't want to be punished so she didn't say another word in the car. Her mother tried to get her to talk more about Jason but she didn't want to discuss it anymore. Alex walked in her bedroom, shut the door completely and turned on her laptop. Ever since her sister moved to the basement she has had a lot more privacy. She opened the internet and searched in Google "Thorpe Arthurs". Alex couldn't help feeling like a creepy stalker. She clicked on his Wikipedia page and looked at his filmography and then his personal life where it mentions his past relationships up to his current wife. And then she saw his children one of which was Jason but another named Alan who died at eight years old. It got a lot of news coverage back then but Alex did not remember as she was only 5 years old at the time. She wondered if Jason remembers with his 'eidetic memory'.

"He didn't tell me that." Alex thought out loud. "But I guess he doesn't tell me anything because he is so anti-social."

"Alex!" Mrs. Dunphy said opening the door.

Alex was shocked and quickly closed the page on Thorpe Arthurs. "Mum!"

"Tonight we are going to Grandpas for dinner so make sure you are ready."

"But Mum!" Alex complained "They gave us a lot of homework for the first day!"

"You know we go over there at least once a week so the family can stay together." Mrs. Dunphy added "And Luke seemed fine with it."

"Luke isn't in senior year!"

"You are going and that is final!" Mrs. Dunphy said and she closed the door.

Alex rolled her eyes and sighed. She sometimes wished that her family would understand that she had an obligation in her mind to get homework done and that sometimes she didn't want to go along with their dinner parties and Halloween dress-ups. Sometimes fun to her was sitting in her room and getting work done.

…

When Jason arrived in his house from school he sat on his couch and watched The Bold and the Beautiful. He found it unintentionally hilarious. The house was empty as his mum was once again working all the time at her lawyer firm, his dad was working super late at an acting studio and his brother certainly hadn't been around for years.

Jason walked to his room and lay on the bed. The house was so quiet that he could clearly hear cars driving to the house across the street. At his old school it was Jason versus everyone else. Jason never talked to anyone else and when he had to it never ended well. But when Jason realised how lonely it was now he couldn't help think that maybe he could interact with just one person.

"Fine!" He said to himself. "I'll try and be friends with her."

…

The Dunphy family were the last of the three families to arrive.

"Sorry we're late." Phil Dunphy said to everyone

"Someone was holding us up!" Mrs. Dunphy stared straight at Haley.

"What?" Haley was confused "Do you expect me to go out with my hair looking like Alex's?"

"Wow." Alex said to herself.

Alex was standing next to Luke and Manny who were talking about an action move which happened to star Thorpe Arthurs.

"So how was the first day back in the salt mines?" Alex's Grandpa said to the three of them.

"We weren't at salt mines today." Luke said naively. Alex and Manny rolled her eyes.

"It is just an expression!" Alex exclaimed.

"I'm sorry Dorkosaurus!" Luke teased.

"Can you please just answer my question!" Jay said to them.

"Alex met a boy!" Luke told him.

"A boy?" Jay questioned.

"Jason Arthurs, son of Thorpe Arthurs, talented actor who famously won an Oscar for his role as a recovering alcoholic in _Drinks For Two_. Thorpe likes to keep his son out of the spotlight after a certain incident where…" Manny began to say. Everyone stared at him weirdly.

"Thorpe Arthurs?" Grandpa interrupted "He just moved in the big house across the street."

"Are you serious?" Alex blurted out.

"Yes, not that he is ever over there." Manny said sadly "I would've asked him for an autograph but it is just 'the son' over there."

"You are starting to sound a bit creepy." Alex told Manny. "Anyways let's just have dinner so I get back home and do homework."

The family sat down at the large dining room table and ate dinner.

…

"Hey." Jason said to Alex on the next day before school.

"I see you are initiating the conversation today." Alex said condescendingly.

"Yeah, this is kind of new." Jason replied "I am sorry for being so standoffish yesterday."

"Really?"

"Yeah." Jason replied "I realised I was lonely all of the last few years so I should try and make just one friend." Jason stared at Alex and she smiled "But by one friend I mean just one."

"Why?"

"It is probably the largest amount I can handle at one time."

"Well I guess we should start over." Alex suggested. "I'm Alexandria but most people call me Alex."

"I know." Jason said "You told me your actual name yesterday while I was trying to read in the cafeteria. I had the pasta with salad while you had the chicken fillets and you were very interested in…."

"Jason." Alex interrupted "I was initiating the starting over."

"Oh, I didn't realise." Jason laughed. "I'm Jason Thorpe Arthurs."

"Nice to meet you Jason." Alex said. She didn't really care if Luke or anyone was watching them talk. She was just happy that she had finally made a friend.


	3. Chapter 3

"So you have an uncle who still needs to be babysat?" Jason said confused.

"Half-uncle." Alex reminded.

"That is just weird." Jason said "Just like how you have to see your family all the time for dinner."

"That's weird?" Alex asked "It is what our family has done for a very long time."

"I hardly ever see my family due to my parent's work." I said "But I guess it'll be easier for me to cope when I go to college."

"I'm intending to attend Caltech which is close to here so I think I'll be fine."

"I want to go there as well." Jason told Alex "As it is one of the best universities for science and engineering."

"That is awesome!"

"Awesome if you mean more competition for entry." Jason said honestly.

The two were talking as they exited school. It was the last day of Jason's first week at high school and Jason and Alex had spent every lunch together in the cafeteria. Alex and Jason met Luke outside the school to wait for Alex's mother.

"I should go before your mum arrives. I don't want to deal with small talk." Jason spoke to Alex. Jason walked away from them and towards his car.

"He is weird." Luke said to Alex.

"You're weird." Alex rolled her eyes at Luke.

"Are you two boyfriend-girlfriend?" he asked

"No!" Alex said loudly "We are just friends!"

"That is what they all say." Luke said condescendingly.

…

"They are having a party tomorrow night at someone's house." Luke told his Mum whilst she was cooking in the kitchen. "Can I go?"

"Whose party?" Claire asked

"A girl called Veronica." Alex said as she walked into the room whilst reading a book "She invited the entire school to celebrate the first week being over."

"She even invited Geek and her boyfriend."

"He is not my boyfriend!" Alex said angrily.

"Are you going to this party Alex?" Mrs. Dunphy asked her.

"No, I have got way to much homework to do."

"Can I go though?" Luke asked impatiently

"I don't trust you going to the party by yourself." Mrs. Dunphy said "Maybe if Alex went with you I could let you go."

"I am not going!" Alex shouted "I have too much to do!"

"Alex you are going to this party with Luke and that is final!" Claire demanded "It will be good bonding experience for the two of you." She then left the room leaving Alex and Luke alone together. Luke looked at Alex and smiled cheekily.

"Sucker." Luke laughed at her. Alex sighed in frustration. She didn't want to go to any party.

…

Jason got home and checked his newly created Skype account. Alex insisted that he get one so they could stay in contact outside of school hours but apart from a few casual greetings they hadn't used it much. But Jason saw a '1' in the recent messages.

Alex Dunphy: There is a party my mother is forcing me attend with my brother. Do you want to come with us?

Jason: Is it Veronica's party that everyone was invited to?

Alex Dunphy: Yes

Jason: Why would I go to that? I don't really care.

Alex Dunphy: I want someone I like to be there.

Jason: You don't like your brother?

Alex Dunphy: I mean apart from family members

Jason: I don't want to go with so many people. You know I almost panic when lining up in the cafeteria.

Alex: Please!

Jason: Fine! But I won't be happy about it.

Jason sighed. He couldn't believe that it was only his first week at his new school and he was already being peer pressured into doing something he didn't want to do. And also that Alex almost got away with saying she didn't like her brother.

…

The next evening at the Dunphy's house Alex was reading on the couch while waiting for Luke to finish getting ready for the party.

"Luke we need to get going to the party!" Claire shouted. "And we have to pick up Manny on the way."

"And Jason." Alex added. "He just lives across the street from grandpa's house."

"Alex is on a date with his boyfriend." Luke teased whilst walking down the stairs.

"Shut up Luke!" Alex shouted at him.

"Don't shout at your brother! And don't tease your sister!" Claire demanded. Luke poked his tongue out at Alex.

"Does this mean I will finally get to meet Jason Arthurs?" Claire asked. Alex's Iphone made a notification sound so she looked at it and saw a message that was from Jason.

Jason: Don't bother taking me. I am driving myself.

Alex was suspicious that he wasn't attending the party and finding a way not to go. "Jason doesn't need to be picked up." Alex told the two of them.

"That's disappointing." Claire said.

"He ditched you didn't he?" Luke asked playfully

…

Clair parked her car near Veronica's house.

"Now don't park too close to the house." Luke said to his mother "I don't want anyone to see you."

Alex rolled her eyes. She remembered when she was like that once and hated being seen with her mother. Luke, Manny and Alex left the car and walked towards the party. When they walked to the front door of Veronica's house they saw that another popular girl, Sandy, at the door with a register.

"Oh it's the unpopular people." She said in a slow voice. "Except Manny the sports star."

"Oh Sandy you once again are able to show me courtesy that I show you." Manny began to say "What do you think about us getting together after the party and getting some cappuccinos?"

"I guess so." Sandy said slowly.

"Hey." Alex interrupted "I'm Alex Dunphy and this is my brother Luke."

"I guess unpopularity runs in the family."

"You obviously haven't met my sister." Alex said under her breath "Anyways has someone called Jason Arthurs arrived?"

"You mean the movie star's son that hangs out with the geek chick?"

"That geek chick would be me."

"No he hasn't arrived." She told Alex "Now please go in the house there is a line building."

Alex, Luke and Manny walked into the house. Alex was disappointed that Jason had not turned up at the party especially since he agreed to go. She got out her phone and messaged him.

Alex Dunphy: Where are you?

"I am going to talk to those cheerleaders over there so…." Luke said to Alex and he pointed to a group of people standing around with drinks in their hand.

"I can't allow you as what if those drinks have alcohol."

"Relax I can look after myself." Luke said and he and Manny began to walk away.

"Luke!"

"What Dorkosaurus!"

"Your shoelace is undone!" Alex reminded.

Luke rolled his eyes and tied his shoelace. Him and Manny then walked to the group and began socialising. Alex watched them from a safe distance by herself. She wished that Jason were here right now. Then she wouldn't look, and feel, like a loser.

**Thanks **kickinfan321 **for reviewing**


	4. Chapter 4

No one needed to tell Alex that feeling like a loser sucked. Ever since she was little she always felt that she needed to try so hard to get people to like her whilst her sister did it so easily. It was no wonder she had become more and more socially secluded over the years. No matter how hard she tried with new students they always became vain and popular. She thought this time would be different but now she now thought it was silly to get her hopes up. She was now standing at a boring party with no one to be with.

"Feeling like a loser sucks doesn't it?" said someone who stood beside her. Alex looked next to her and saw that it was Jason. In her head she felt very relieved but she kept it composed.

"Hi Jason." Alex said "And yes it does suck."

"The girl at the front, Stacy, said you asked for me." Jason told Alex "Then she tried to flirt with me and tried to get me to hook her up with my dad."

"Well I was just wondering if you had arrived." Alex said honestly.

"When you texted me 'Where are you?' I was sitting in my car outside. I didn't want to enter the party with all these people around that I didn't know so I waited and when you messaged me I knew you'd arrived so I entered the party."

"So you were really out in your car?" Alex asked.

"I think I just said that." Jason responded.

Alex looked back at where Luke and Manny were socialising. Manny was talking to two girls whilst Luke was standing next to him. The girls were holding cups of drink. One of the girls began talking to Luke but he only responded with short answers. Alex pitied how nervous he got sometimes with girls. It was Manny who was getting most of the attention as he was now a 'football star' at Alex's school compared to the days where he read poems to girls.

"Why are you just staring at your brother and your sort-of-uncle?" Jason interrupted Alex's thoughts.

"The reason I was forced to attend this party was so my mother could make sure Luke doesn't get into any trouble."

"Do you expect him to get into trouble?" Jason asked

"I don't really but my mum thinks he might turn out like Hayley, my older sister, and she always got into trouble at parties." Alex told him "She was kicked out of college for underage drinking and assaulting a police officer."

"That sounds serious." Jason said.

"Not really, she just accidentally fell on him."

"That is mildly hilarious." Jason responded.

Alex once again looked over at Luke and Manny. Manny was walking away with one of the girls which left Luke with the other one. The girl who was talking to Luke rolled her eyes and walked away which left Luke by himself.

"You're staring again." Jason reminded me.

"I just had a thought." Alex said "My mother made me go to this why don't we make the most of it?"

"How do we make the most of a party?"

"By seeing what the whole party thing is like for the one time we are invited." She told Jason.

"Stacy invited me to another party." Jason said "Of course I refused."

"That's not the point!" Alex said. "Firstly we have to go get a drink."

Jason and Alex walked over to the drinks table. Jason poured a Coke for him and Alex.

"I hope these drinks aren't spiked." Jason said.

"Why do you have to be so pessimistic?' Alex joked. Jason looked at her condescendingly.

"Are you worried that Luke is becoming a social outcast?" Jason asked Alex out of nowhere

"What? No." Alex said shocked "He is just my annoying little brother."

"My ears hear what you are saying but not my eyes." Jason said "You keep staring at him like he is a lost puppy."

"My brother will be fine as his personality isn't that nerdy, he is just a bit weird." Alex reassured "I have no reason to be worried."

"Jason Arthurs!" Someone said from near them. It was Veronica, the host of the party.

"Why does she want to talk to us?" Jason whispered to Alex.

"Maybe she is drunk." Alex joked. Jason laughed. Veronica was holding a drink however.

"I am so happy you have come to the party Jason." She said. "Why don't you come hang out with me instead of…." She didn't finish the sentence and instead just looked at Alex.

"What are insinuating about me?" Alex asked.

"What does 'insinuating' mean?" Veronica asked "Anyways I just thought you deserved more respect considering your father."

"Why are you now talking about my father?" Jason interrupted .

"ummmm." She stuttered.

"I don't particularly want to hang out with you or your friends as I prefer someone who is a little less vain and can give me stimulating intellectual conversation like Alex." Jason told Veronica. Alex smiled at this comment.

"What?" Veronica said confused.

"Stimulating intellectual conversation." Jason said slowly as if he were talking to a child. Veronica went from calm to glaring. She then got her drink and threw it into Jason's face. Alex gasped and Veronica walked away angrily. It had seemed the whole party was now paying attention to them. Some were laughing whilst other were shocked like Alex. Soon enough the whole party went back to what they were doing before.

"I am happy I didn't wear a white shirt." Jason joked.

"You should know not to provoke the popular people." Alex told him.

"Much worse has happened to me so don't worry." Jason said positively.

"Now why did I ever think you were a pessimist?" Alex said. Jason laughed.

"That was pretty cool what you just did." Someone said from behind Jason. Jason turned around and saw it was Luke.

"Hi Alex's brother Luke." Jason said.

"I would have never said that to her and yet you did." Luke suddenly said excitedly "Amazing!"

"That is nice Luke." Alex interrupted him. "But don't you have friends to talk to."

"My friends are making out with some chicks in the bedrooms."

"Yuck." Jason said.

"I just don't want you having no one." Alex said. She then added under her breath "I know hard that is."

"I don't particularly want to be here anymore." Luke demanded "let's go home."

"I agree as I would like to change out of this wet shirt." Jason added

"What about Manny?" Alex asked Luke.

"I am sure he will be fine finding his own way home." Luke said

"But the only reason Jason and I are here is so we can be 'supervisors' to you." Alex said "I could be home studying and learning everything I need to know for the entire year so I can get into Caltech and now you just quit so early and waste my time!"

"When was Jason my supervisor?" Luke asked.

"You mean you haven't learnt the entire year's coursework yet?" Jason asked.

"Are you serious? Is that what both of you got from that!"

"I have a slight attention deficit problem." Jason said.

"Me too." Luke added "Oh look a painting of two different sized people standing next to each other in the rain with umbrellas."

"I believe that is a re-vision of the famous scene in a Japanese anime called My Neighbour Totoro…" Jason began to say.

"Can we just go home?!" Alex almost shouted whilst interrupting Jason.

Luke and Jason stopped talking right away.

"I am guessing I am driving you two." Jason said. "Despite California law stating that I shouldn't drive non-related under the age of twenty home."

Alex hesitated but nodded.

"I am surprised that there is such a geeky piece of art in this home." Jason thought out loud "Maybe they don't realise the origin of it."

…

Jason arrived home after dropping Alex and Luke off at their house. He wasn't caught by any police officers for driving non-related under twenty year olds. He left their house as quickly as possible to avoid having to make small talk with their mother. On the way home he had a mildly intellectually stimulating conversation (a phrase he'll use more often now thanks to Veronica) with Luke and Alex.

"I can't believe you are in senior year as you look so short and young," Luke said honestly.

"Well I skipped a grade so I am a year younger than Alex is." Jason said as he checked his rear view mirror whilst driving.

"My parents never allowed me to skip grades." Alex added. "They wanted me to socialise with people my age."

"Me too." Luke laughed at himself. He was obviously joking

"My parents felt the same so they only allowed me to skip one." Jason added "I was always way ahead of my older classmates."

Jason liked the opportunity to boast about his skipping a grade to his new friends. 'Friend' he reminded himself. He remembered what he said to Alex when he initiated their friendship properly.

"_But by one friend I mean just one."_

"_Why?" _

"_It is probably the largest amount I can handle at one time."_

Could Jason be wrong? Maybe he could be friends with Alex's younger brother.

"Isn't that a little weird?" Jason said to himself when he walked into his house.

"Honey you are home." He heard a semi-familiar voice. It was his mother.

"Why are you home?" Jason asked "You usually have work."

"I left early because we ran out of coffee." She said. "What were you doing out on a Saturday night?"

"I was with a group of friends." Jason said. Then he realised he said 'friends' "I mean friend and her brother."

"It's a girl?" Jason's Mother asked. "I can't believe it. After all these years of teachers calling me mid-working hours to complain about how lonely you were you finally have someone."

"Don't get your hopes up." Jason said. He hoped that he was wrong with saying this. Jason began walking up the stairs to his room.

"Remember to be responsible." His mum shouted.

"No drugs. No alcohol. No sex." He recited as he walked up the stairs. He was surprised his mother didn't notice his wet shirt but most of it had dried. Jason went into his room to sleep. "One week in and I have already went to a major party and I broke driving laws" he thought "What would be next?"

**Thankyou Valerie for reviewing.**


	5. Chapter 5

The best thing about Veronica throwing her drink at Jason was that he was no longer just 'Thorpe Arthur's son' but now was known by the other students because of something that actually happened. When he walked through the school's halls the Monday after the party he saw weird looks from random people.

"Hey Jason." Alex said from behind him as walked towards home class.

"How was your Sunday?" he asked.

"I read everyone's Facebook comments about the party. Someone managed to take a video of Veronica throwing her drink at you." Alex told Jason.

"I've been meaning to get Facebook." Jason said "And I would like to look at this video so I can see it from a different angle."

"Alex!" the two of them heard from down the hall. They both turned and saw a football player Alex recognised from Manny's team.

"Why does he want to talk to me?" Alex asked.

"I doubt he is drunk." Jason laughed referencing what was said at the party.

"Hey Alex." He said "I'm Daniel and I really like how is so considerate that you have become friends with the new kid."

"What?" Alex said confused.

"You seem really nice." He said "We should go out some time."

"What?" both Jason and Alex said shocked.

"Just the two of us." He added "I will friend you on Facebook and message you." He then winked at Alex and walked away.

"That was weird." Jason said to Alex.

"Yeah." She said "We have been in the same grade for year and this is the first time he has ever spoken to me."

"Do you like him?" Jason asked.

"Well Daniel is very good looking and he seemed nice." Alex said "So I will give him a chance."

…

The two of them were sitting in the living room of the Dunphy's house and Jason was on his Ipad. Jason was only over because Alex's parents were not in the house.

"Yay!" Jason said "I now have a Facebook page!"

"Now all you have to do is add me as a friend."

Jason added Alex as her friend. "You have a lot of friends." Jason said a loud "Including another Jason. A Jason Darling."

"I met him at the Caltech open day." Alex told him "Although it will be confusing having two Jason's I know at college."

"Did you become Facebook friends with Daniel?" Jason asked.

"Of course I did." Alex answered.

"Are you going to go out with him?" Jason asked.

"Yeah I am going out with him two nights from now." Alex said back.

"Well I hope you have fun." Jason said awkwardly. Alex then heard a car enter the driveway.

"My mother is home so you'd better leave." Alex said. Jason nodded and left the house. A minute later Claire Dunphy entered the house.

"Was that Jason leaving the house?" she asked.

"Don't worry mum we were not having sex."

"No I didn't believe you were." Claire said "I'm not just nag, nag, nag."

"Yeah I know." Alex said "Why are you home so early?"

"My father and I had an argument over marketing so I excused myself." She said. She got a drink and drank it in one gulp. Alex winced at this.

"I got a date with Daniel Smith." Alex said trying to distract her mother from drinking

"Isn't he a football player?" Claire asked.

"Yes I know!" she said excitedly.

"Ok don't do anything I wouldn't do." She said. Alex looked at her condescendingly.

…

The next day Jason and Alex were walking through the school halls.

"I can't believe how many assignments we have already." Alex said. "I have sooo much to do."

Jason looked at her in shock "You mean you didn't already complete them?" Alex rolled her eyes. Daniel then walked up to the two of them.

"Hey Alex." He said and he winked.

"Hey Daniel." Alex stuttered and she was blushing. Daniel walked past them and down the hall.

"You sure blush a lot." Jason noticed

"That obvious huh?" Alex said.

"I still find it weird that he is even interested in you."

"Do you really think I couldn't attract a guy like that?" Alex asked

"No!" he said quickly "I just find it suspicious that he never even noticed you before but then now he is asking you on a date."

"I don't think you are suspicious." Alex grinned "I think you are just jealous."

"Me? Jealous?" Jason said shocked "You are just my friend and I am obligated to be concerned when I feel suspicious."

"Yeah, just keep telling yourself that." Alex laughed. They walked into class.

…

Alex was reading on the couch after school. They were instructed to read one chapter of _To Kill A Mockingbird _but she knew that Jason had finished it already and she needed to keep up with him. His presence at school was now adding extra pressure to do well. Luke walked into the kitchen and got a drink from the fridge.

"Alex." He said. Alex got her nose out of the book and turned to him.

"I am trying to read!" she said "I have to keep up with Jason."

"You seem to like him."

"Yeah he is nice but a little eccentric."

"I meant that differently." Luke said.

"No, not in that way." Alex said "You know that I have a date with Daniel Smith tomorrow afternoon."

"Yeah, I wanted to talk to you about." Luke said "I was ear dropping…."

"Eaves dropping." Alex interrupted.

"Yeah, and some people in my grade said that Daniel is only going out with you for some kind of trick to get back at what Jason said at Veronica's party."

"That is flawed." Alex said "Why would they do that to me and not to Jason?"

"Well they think he likes you romantically so…"

"You are just jealous you can't get a popular date like me." Alex said before realising how egotistical she sounded "Now go away and stop trying to take this date away from me." Luke sighed and walked up the stairs towards his room.

…

Jason was walking through the corridors of school in the middle of the day where someone shouted his name. He looked behind him and it was Luke.

"Hello Luke, Alex's brother."

"You don't have to refer to me as 'Alex's brother' just Luke." He told Jason.

"But we aren't friends, just acquaintances."

"But can't we change that?"

"When I feel we have a better relationship." Jason told him "And I am seeing if I can handle one friendship before I have more."

"Anyways there is something I want to talk to you about." Luke said "Alex wouldn't listen when I tried to tell her."

"What?"

"I was ear dropping on some people in my grade and I heard something about Daniel and Alex."

"Firstly it is Eavesdropping," Jason corrected "And secondly what about Daniel and Alex?"

"Well I heard that they are trying to trick her."

What?" Jason said loudly "How? And why?"

"Well I'm not sure how but they want to get back at you for what you said at Veronica's party."

"So it is my fault." Jason said.

"I just thought you would be able to convince her to not go to the date." Luke admitted.

"I'll try but she'll just dismiss it and say I am jealous."

"Thanks." Luke said "And I hope you consider us being friends." Luke left Jason to got his locker.

…

Alex and Jason sat in the cafeteria.

"I hate how they put an extra big meat patty on my hamburger. Completely takes away the taste of the salad and cheese." Jason said.

"I agree."

"Talking about eating food, are you still having a date with Daniel Smith?"

"Of course."

"Well I have received word that this date is actually trick to get back at me for my actions at Veronica's party so…." Jason explained.

"You have been talking to Luke haven't you?" she asked.

"Yeah." Jason responded.

Alex looked at Jason sternly and said loudly"Well I know that you and Luke are jealous that I managed to get a date with someone popular especially when you never thought I could so please stop pretending someone like that wouldn't like me." Alex got up from the table and walked away angrily. Jason sat by himself awkwardly and the cafeteria looked at him. Out the corner of his eye Jason saw a table with Veronica and Daniel and they were smiling at what had just occurred.

**Thankyou Valerie for reviewing. For the guest who asked where Haley was in this story she is where she would be during the events of season 6. Haley has also been mentioned in chapter 1 and chapter 4 so re-read it and you will see. Thanks for reading this chapter everyone and please review.**


	6. Chapter 6

Alex got ready for her date with Daniel. She thought of what Jason and Luke said to her about Daniel trying to trick her. She had to admit to herself that she was suspicious when Daniel first talked to her. However as the two of them connected over the past two days she found him to be very nice and her suspicions went away. Jason and Luke were still suspicious and she understood why they were but she was slightly offended that they thought he wouldn't be interested in her.

The doorbell rang and Alex answered the door. It was Daniel whose clothes weren't too casual but weren't too formal either.

"Hey Alex, I hope you don't mind pasta." He said "I got us into a good Italian restaurant."

"Yeah I like pasta." She stuttered nervously. "And hi Daniel."

The two of them got into a car and drove off.

…

Phil, Claire, Jay, Gloria, Cam and Mitchell were all out together so all of the younger members of the family, except Alex who was on her date, were over at Jay's house.

"Jason Arthurs lives of across the street." Luke said whilst bored "We should go over there."

"I've already tried that but Thorpe Arthurs is never there." Manny said.

"No I want to talk to Jason." Luke said to Manny "Since he is Alex's friend I should try and make him my friend too."

"That sounds ridiculous." Manny said "He is ALEX'S friend and not yours"

"He seems cool." Luke told Manny "In an unconventional way.

Manny followed Luke to the door.

"Where are you going?" Haley asked "I am meant to look after you."

"We are no longer children." Luke rebutted "We are just going across the street to Jason Arthurs."

"Alex's geek friend." Haley said out loud "I doubt he would do anything interesting like throw a party so I will allow you to go over there but if you go anywhere else I am informing both of your parents."

Luke and Manny went across the street and rang the doorbell.

…

Alex and Daniel were sitting in an Italian restaurant. Alex was really nervous and the pasta kept falling off her fork.

"I heard that you are reading _To Kill A Mockingbird_." He started to talk "I think it is an interesting book."

"You've read it?" Alex said surprised "It isn't part of our school's curriculum until senior year."

"Well after I heard the seniors were reading it I looked it up and read the Wikipedia description." He told Alex "The things I do for a girl."

"I take it you are not a fan of reading." She said.

"No." he said "Unless it is a sports magazine."

"I wasn't going to pretend I was interested in sports." She said "I hoped you would have some other interests."

"Well good luck with that." He said "Sports is my life."

Alex sighed. He seemed nice but maybe this wouldn't work. What else would they talk about? At least he hadn't tricked her like Luke and Jason said.

…

Jason sighed at the broken vase. He didn't mean to break it but these things happen. A piece of the vase cut his hand and he had to put a plaster on it. He cleaned up the pieces of the vase and put them in the nearest bin. The doorbell rang and Jason opened it to find Luke and Manny standing out the front. Jason was familiar enough with Luke thanks to Alex and Manny because he liked to come over and see whether his father was home.

"What?" Jason asked.

"Why is there a plaster on your hand?" Luke asked.

"I dropped a vase and cut myself on it." Jason replied "But you didn't answer my question: what?"

"You should really be more careful with breakable objects." Manny said "I have plenty in my room now."

"My room is kind of a mess now compared to rest of the house which I clean." Jason said "But you still didn't answer my question: what?"

"I wanted to come over and talk." Luke said "And try make us friends."

"Firstly you can just talk to me online as I have Facebook now." Jason said "And I thought we discussed this already about being friends."

"But…" Luke said.

"I have things to do." Jason said. "Anything else you would wish to say."

"I heard talking to Alex didn't work out as well as it should have."

"Are you definitely sure this date is a trick?" Jason asked "She said you might be jealous of her dating a popular person and that you are just trying to stop her."

"I definitely heard it after my Maths class." Luke said.

"I am concerned." Jason said. "But Alex is too stubborn."

…

Alex and Daniel were outside Daniel's house.

"Thanks for the date tonight." Alex said.

"Thank you also." Daniel said "It was better than I expected."

Alex smiled. Daniel continued to speak "I am sorry though that this might be the last date."

"What?" Alex said "I thought we had fun."

"No it was boring." He said "I don't want to date you again."

Alex started to cry. "What?" she stuttered.

"I never liked you."

Daniel opened the door and Veronica was there. She had her iPhone and took pictures of Alex as she cried. Alex ran off away from Daniel and Veronica who smiled at each other.

…

Jason managed to get Luke and Manny away. Now however both of them were his Facebook friends which upped his Facebook friends total to 3 (Alex, Luke and Manny). He checked his new feed which had updated a new photo of Alex which said _Alex Dunphy was tagged in a photo_. It was Alex and she was crying and her make-up that she put on the date was smudging. The account that posted the photo was a newly created one so no one knew who it was. Jason sighed. He wished he tried to warn her more. The doorbell rang. Jason was surprised that he had another visitor. He walked to the door and it was Alex.

"Hi Alex." Jason said "Are you okay?"

Alex looked similar to what she did in the photo. "Does it look like I am okay?"

"I am so sorry for what happened." Jason apologised.

"How do you know what happened?" Alex asked between tears.

"Well I was on my new Facebook account adding Luke and Manny as friends….." Jason began to tell a story.

"They posted it on Facebook!" Alex said shocked "I can't believe you were right about this date! I thought I was smart but I am just like everyone else and I am naive enough to fall for a prank like that."

"You are not foolish and you are smart." Jason said "You are my friend and my opinion should matter more than any of the stupid people who prank you."

"Thanks Jason." Alex said "But I don't know how to get back at them."

"Just don't try." Jason suggested "Doing anything to retaliate would just stoop to their immature level."

"You are right," Alex said "I'll just forget it ever happened."

"Forgetting what happened?" Jason joked. Alex laughed.

"Thanks for making me feel better. I doubt my family would do it as well as that." Alex said. Jason blushed a little at this comment. "Maybe something like a hug will make it completely go away."

"Okay." Jason said. The two stood for a second and then he realised "You mean me hug you?"

"Yeah."

"Okay." Jason said. He hugged Alex and no more tears fell from her eyes.

"Thanks." Alex said "I'd better go across the street to Haley. I was over there before I came over here and she wasn't babysitting well as I saw Lily, my uncles's child, playing around with my grandfather's drink collection." Jason gave Alex a confused look.

…

Alex returned from talking to Jason and Luke's phone made a notification sound. He checked it and it was Jason.

Jason: Turns out you were right thanks for warning me.

Luke: I saw the photo

Jason: I think you trying to help Alex constitutes an initiation of our friendship.

Luke: What?

Jason: You are now my friend.

Luke smiled at the message.

"What are you smiling at Luke?" Alex asked him. She was suspicious that he was smiling at the photo of her crying.

"Jason has said we can be friends." He said.

"Now he has more than one friend." Alex thought out loud "I wonder how he'll handle it."

**Thankyou **tiff.n.b36 **for reviewing.**


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